In the SNA output, intermediate consumption, operating surplus and increase in inventories are calculated, excluding holding gains (losses), which are defined as the value of products created due to changes in prices during the period when the products were held in stocks.

UNESCO: Belarus: Report: Part I: Descriptive Section

In commodity markets, oil futures edged higher, shrugging off a bigger-than-expected increase in U.S. oil inventories that highlighted the weak pace of demand in the world's biggest oil consumer.

WSJ: European Stocks Edge Lower

In fact, the entire increase was accounted for by an increase of 0.77 percent in inventories, which are often hard to interpret.

FORBES: The Revised Third Quarter GDP--Better, But Not By Much

In the quarter, NAND Flash revenues were down 12% sequentially on an 11% drop in sales volume, a drop the company blamed on a one-time increase in volume in Q3 from the sale of work in process inventories resulting from the restructuring of the IM Flash joint venture with Intel.

FORBES: Connect

Although the first-quarter figure indicates growth, economists at Lehman Brothers and Global Insight said that the increase would be caused by a buildup in inventories.

FORBES: GDP's Health Misleading

In the first instance, inventories increase.

ECONOMIST: Beyond the business cycle? | The

The next blow came in a surprise jump in US oil inventories which showed a massive increase of 7.3 million barrels.

FORBES: Euro Clings To $1.30 Like Saran Wrap

Stronger sales led businesses to increase inventories at a pace that was faster than expected in January.

FORBES: Connect